The Unlikely Competitor The Landcrab Rally Story Part.1 Considered too large, too heavy and under- Launched in October 1964 at the London powered the Austin 1800 fell into what Motor Show and released in Australia in Abingdon, the BMC Competitions December 1965 when production began in Department, called the “Barge” category and Zetland NSW. The BMC 1800 was to be the was never really considered a competitor. icing on the cake as the successful larger car It was actually the Publicity Department at of BMC’s front wheel drive trilogy. Yet that BMC that acted to give the Austin 1800 its was not to be as initial teething problems, rally debut in the 1965 Monte with 2 being perceived as too large, too expensive ex-press demo cars being prepared. DJB- and George Harriman and Alec Issigonis’ 94B sponsored by ITN finished 29th over interference and inflexible attitudes to all, despite a crash, and AOB-987B Pininfarina, an Italian company that did sponsored by The Daily Telegraph finished design work for BMC, and others involved 32nd overall. Although not a great rally in the project from the beginning resulted in success the results of these 2 cars and the a lost opportunity for the British car industry winning of the Moss Tyres Rally by Bob and ADO17 being the car we know in Freeborough in the development car LRX- Australia today as the Austin 1800. Unlike 824E, as well as second in another event, many other well-known cars it was never paved the way for BMC to try and improve built with performance, competition or even the cars image. rallying in mind. In July 1967 the first ‘works’ Austin 1800, ex development car LRX-824E, competed in a rally, the 1967 Danube Rally, and finished in first place. Painted in black the car was given a white roof, to make it look more sporty as there was not enough time to respray it in works livery, and fitted with a stage 6 twin carb motor producing 135bhp. Driven by Tony Fall with Mike Wood the car averaged about 60 miles an hour and rode better then it competitors having hyrolastic suspension and a long wheelbase. The win was an unexpected surprise and good news for BMC who now saw the 1800 as having rally potential which was contrary to the thoughts and recommendations of Abingdon the BMC Competition Department. One of the activities to improve the car’s image in September 1967 was inspired by Castrol who paid for 60% of the budget to tackle some FIA records in Class E for cars 1500-2000cc. Ex-demonstrator LBL-416E, a Morris 1800, was prepared to full Stage 6 specifications with twin 2” SUs, bored out to 1857cc, a compression ration of 10:1 and a final; drive of 4.1. Suspension was Alpine spec with Minilite wheels and 550L racing tyres. The records attempted and soundly broken were 4, 5, 6 and 7 day records as well as 15,000 mile and 20,000 and 25,000 kilometre endurance records that took place at the Monza Circuit. It must be noted here that the Press Office had the car slowed down towards the end, as they did not want to publicise an unrealistic speed. In September 1967 LRX-824E entered its second rally as a works car, the Alpine rally and was piloted by Brian Culcheth (in his first works drive) and John- stone Syer finishing 11th out right and first in class. The car was still in its Danube Rally stage 6 tune but had some suspension improvements after extensive testing and evaluation at the Castle Combe Circuit. The next event for the car and its team was the RAC Rally of November 1967 that was cancelled due to foot and mouth disease. For the Monte Carlo Rally in January 1968 the BMC Publicity Department had Special Tuning prepare 3 1800s. A Morris 1800, KOC-391E, for Brian Culcheth/ Johnstone Syers with twin 2” SUs, bored out to 1845cc, fitted with flat top pistons, a compression ratio of 11.5:1 and the rest basically standard. The other 2 being in Stage 2 tune with sin- gle SU carbs being LOF-179F for John The Board and management at BMC now believed they Sprinzel/John Ryan and LOF-238F for Peter had a car for long, rough and unmade road rallys not suited Jopp/Willy Cave. Although not Abingdon ‘works’, to the Mini Coopers. A rugged and reliable car for fertile prepared cars they were painted in the competition markets like Africa. So they had an intensive testing and colours of red with a white roof. It was during this development programme carried out at Bagshot in event that an Australian journalist taking preparation for the East Africa Safari, originally the photographs from a helicopter coined the nickname Coronation Safari, with another much larger event also in “Land Crab” whilst commenting on the 1800s their sights. Cliff Humphries and Eddie Burnell, mostly looking like “Land Crabs” as they cornered side on the tank testing circuit, where they bounced and ways. KOC-391E with B. Culcheth/J. Syers finished pounded the car in an attempt to find and modify broken 24th overall and second in class. parts and or structural components, carried out this programme. With results from the car breaking programme at Believing they had sorted out the suspension issues of the Bagshot the Competition Department built and East Africa Safari, BMC entered Morris 1800 RBL-448F prepared 3 1800s, 2 Morris and 1 Austin, for the Esso with Brian Culcheth and Mike Wood into the Acropolis 16th East Africa Safari 1968 in April. ORX-661F Rally of May 1968. The Acropolis Rally being viewed as (Morris 1800), ORX-662F (Austin 1800) and KOC- a rough car breaking rally similar to the East Africa 391E (Morris 1800 from the 1968 Monte). These 3 Safari, it was seen to be a good test of the suspension. rally cars were air lifted to Nairobi but none finished The car finished 10th outright and 2nd in class. the rally. Morris 1800 KOC-391E with R. Aaltonen/T Harryman suffered suspension failure, Morris 1800 ORX-661F with T. Makinen/D. Benzimra retired due to a burst oil cooler killing an engine and Austin 1800 ORX-662F with T. Fall/L Drews having spent too much time on suspension fixes eventually ran out of late time. So by the half way mark all cars were out of the event with 1 week till they were due to be picked up. Later in April the old Morris 1800 KOC- 391E was re-registered ORX-663F to compete in the Canadian Shell 400 Rally. Driven by Tony Fall it finished 8th outright and 2nd in Class even though he had crashed the car and rolled it. BMC saw the car still had potential. The BMC testing at Bagshot, the East Africa Safari, the Acropolis Rally and further testing at Bagshot all culminated in the preparation for the ultimate rally. With publicity and speculation increasing by May, BMC was now preparing for the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon. A team was being put together, special recce car RMO-723F a dark green Morris 1800 Mk2 was built with all the good bits plus a special spares container fitted to the roof, and on 16th July 1968 the recce began with Paul Easter, Henry Liddon and Tony Nash. From the recce came a constant flow of information about the roads, road conditions, car problems and other The BMC Competitions Department at Abingdon prepared 5 requirements that assisted the team at home new BMC 1800s for the London to Sydney, 4 for the works developing and preparing the team of Austin 1800s team and 1 as the service car. The cars prepared were as for the London-Sydney Marathon. follows SMO-226G Austin 1800 Mk2 P. Hopkirk/A. Nash/ A. Poole, SMO-225G Morris 1800 R. Aaltonen/ H. Liddon/P. Easter, SMO-974G Morris 1800 Mk2 A. Fall/M. Wood/ B. Culcheth, SMO-227G Austin 1800 Mk2 E. Green/J. Murray/G. Shepherd and SMO-223G the service car. In the run up to the Marathon gossip, rumour and speculation were working overtime as was public- ity. The British Motor Corporation was changing The new BMC 1800 Mk2s were prepared based on previous to the British Leyland Motor Corporation with events, testing, development and experience. Each car was George Turnbull as Managing Director. hand built from the ground up by the dedicated Abingdon Although George was in favour of a motor sports works team starting with a bare body shell. With improve- program Lord Stokes was not and rumours sur- ments made to the body, suspension and motor. The steel rounding the demise of the competitions department doors, boot and bonnets were replaced with aluminium items. began to grow with only Paddy Hopkirk still in All windows but the front windscreen were Perspex. The contract for 1969. This was an unsettling period for body was stitch welded and reinforced. The suspension was the competition (works) department as the rally improved with large hyrolastic bags on all 4 corners along program was to be wound back, Timo Makinen had with improved bump stops and dampers (shock absorbers). opted out of the marathon and other drivers and The standard block was over bored, fitted with flat top crews were set to leave after the marathon. It was pistons, lightened flywheel, a balanced and nitrided crank even rumoured that BMC were entering the Safari shaft, a mild MGB camshaft, a stage 2 head, 1800s twin SU 1800s to save money.